POINTS TO REMEMBER

. The Bahmani and the Vijayanagar were the two great empires that arose in the Deccan after the end of the Sultanate.
. The control over Raichur Doab was the main issue which resulted in the long Bahmani-Vijayanagar struggle.
. The Bahmani kingdom was founded by Hasan Gangu
(later known as Bahman Shah) in 1347 with Gulbarga
as its capital.
. Ahmad Shah of the Bahmani kingdom shifted the capital
from Gulbarga to Bidar.
. Mahmud Gawan was the famous Bahmani prime min­
ister during the reign of Humayun.
. Berar, Bidar, Ahmadnagar, Golconda and Bijapur were
the five kingdoms that arose in the Deccan after the fall
of the Bahmani kingdom.
. The Nizam Shahi dynasty in Ahmadnagar was founded by Malik Ahmad, who adopted the title of Ahmad Nizam Shah. Malik Ahmad also founded the city of Ahmadnagar.
. Chand Bibi, who fought against the Mughals, and Malik
Amber, an Abyssinian minister, belonged to Ahmadnagar.
. The Qutb Shahi dynasty in Golconda was founded by
Quli Qutb Shah' in 1512, with Golconda as its capital.
. The Adil Shahi dynasty in Bijapur was founded by
Yusub Adil Shah. Ibrahim Adil Shah was the greatest
Adil Shahi king.
. The Vijayanagar dynasty was founded by Harihara and
Bukka with the aid of two scholars-Vidyaratna and
Sayana.
. Abdur Razzaq, a Persian traveller, visited Vijayanagar
during the rule of Deva Raya II.
. The Tuluva dynasty-to which Krishnadeva Raya be­
longed-in Vijayanagar was founded by Vira Narsirnha.
. Krishnadeva Raya gave Albuquerque, the Portuguese
ambassador, the permission to build a fort at Bhatkal.
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. Nicolo Conti visited Vijayanagar in 1420.
. The Vijayanagar forces were defeated at Bannihatti near
Talikota in 1565 by the joint forces of Ahmadnagar, Bijapur, Golkonda and Bidar. With this defeat came the end of the Vijayanagar empire.
. The Aravidu dynasty of Vijayanagar was founded by
Thirumala after the battle of Talikota in 1565.
. The village self-government in Vijayanagar empire fol­
lowed the Chola traditions.
. The Sharqi dynasty in Jaunpur was founded by Malik
Sarwar. Shan:tS-ud-din Ibrahim (1401-1440) was the great­
est ruler of this dynasty. . Mahmud Khan founded the Khalji dynasty of Malwa. . Ahmad Shah I, who ruled Gujarat during 1411-1442,
founded the city of Ahmedabad.
. Rana Kumbha Karan (popularly known as 'Kumbha'), who ruled Mewar between 1538 and 1568, built the famous 'Victory Tower' or 'Vijaya Stambha' at Chittor to celebrate his victory over Malwa.
. Mewar recognised the Mughal suzerainty in the times
of Jahangir in 1615.
. Amber, ruled by the Kachhawaha Rajputs, was the first
Rajput state to accept Mughal overlordship.
. Shah Khan (1420-1470), who assumed the title of Zain­
ul-Abidin, is known as the "Akbar of Kashmir".
. The Mughal emperor Akbar annexed Kashmir from the
Chakk tribe in 1586.
. The Mahabharata was translated into Bengali under the
patronage of Ala-ud-din Hussain Shah, who ruled in
Bengal during 1493-1519.
. The Jagannath temple at Puri was built by Anantavarman
Choda Ganga (1076-1148).
. Govinda founded the Bhoi dynasty, which ruled up to
1559, in Orissa.
. Sukapha founded the rule of Ahoms, originally belong­
.ing to north Burma, in Kamarupa and Assam. SUhungmung, who reigned as Svarga Narayan, was the greatest Ahom king.
. In 1338, Malik Raja founded the Farukki dynasty in
Khandesh.
. The Gujarat architecture, a synthesis of Islamic and Jain
styles, was the most elegant of all provincial architec­
tures.
. The construction of Char Minar in Hyderabad is attrib­
uted to the Qutb Shahi dynasty of Golconda.
. Meenakshi-Sundareshwara temple at Madurai was built
by Thirumalai Nayak of Vijayanagar in mid-17th cen­
tury.
. Malik Muhammad Jaisi, 'author of Padmavat, belonged
to Jaunpur, known as the 'Shiraz of the East'.
. Sayana, the commentator of the Vedas, lived in the courts
of Vijayanagar kings.
. 'Amuktamalyada' was written in Telugu by Krishnadeva
Raya. The Astadiggajas, a group of eight Telugu poets,
lived in the court of Krishnadeva Raya.
. Rana Kumbha of Mewar wrote commentaries on
Jayadeva's Gita Govinda and Chandishatak.
. Ahmad Shah I was the first and last ruler of Gujarat
who imposed jaziya on the Hindus.
. Ahmad Shah I of Bahmani is also called a saint, waU,
due to his association with Gesu Daraz, the famous sufi saint.
. Dalucha (a Mongol) ransacked Kashmir in 1320 and amassed a huge booty. This was the first incident wt1en the myth of the invincibility of Kashmir could be shattered.
. Nayalalr and ayagar systems were the backbones of the
Vijayanagar power.
. The Bahmani kingdom was divided.-into -tarafs (prov­
inces) headed by tarafdars.
. The Bahmani administration followed the administrative
structure of the Delhi Sultanate.
. The commander of the Bahmani army was called amir­
ul-umara.
. Kitab-i-Nauras, an authoritative book on music, was
written by the Bijapur Sultan, Ibrahim Adil Shah II, also
known as abla baba (Friends of the Poor) and Jagat Guru.
. The Nayakwaris were the important military-cum-Ianded
elements in the Qutb Shahi rule in Golconda.
. The growth of Urdu in its Dakhini form was a significant
development during the reign of Quli Qutb Shah, a
contemporary of Akbar.
. Ibrahim Rauza and Gol Gumbaz (largest single dome
ever constructed) are the most famous buildings con­
structed by the Adil Shahi rulers of Bijapur.

LITERATURE

Literature too was encouraged by these kingdoms. Jaunpur came to be known as the 'Shiraz of the East'. Malik Muhammad Jaisi, author of Padmavat, lived here. Mahmud Shah of Gujarat had Udayaraja as his court poet. The Bengal Sultans patronised Maladhar Basu ('Gunaraja Khan') who compiled Sri Krishna Vijaya. Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah of Golconda wrote in Dakhini Urdu, Persian and Telugu.
The Vijayanagar kings were also patrons of Sanskrit and Telugu literature. Sayana, the famous commentator of the Vedas, and his learned brother Madhavacharya, were ministers of Bukka and his three immediate successors. Krishnadeva Raya was himself a poet and author of Amultamalyada in Telugu. In his court also flourished eight famous Telugu poets known as 'Astadiggajas'. His reign marked a new era in Telugu literature.

CULTURAL DEVELOPMENTS

ART AND ARCHITECTURE Of all the provincial styles that developed in architecture in the mid-14th century, the Gujarat style is the most elegant. The Gujarat rulers evolved a synthesis of Islamic and Jain styles. The characteristic features of this style include extensive use of pillar-and­lintel system, device (a clerestory or wall with series of windows) to admit light into the central pan of the hall­type mosque, semi-circular engrailed arch on two pillars, systematic use of graceful minarets and heavily sculpted buttresses, rich and delicate jali in arches, windows, etc. and frequent use of balconied windows. Some fine examples of this style are the Rani Rupmati (c. 1460) mosque and the tomb and mosque of Rani Sabrai or Rani Sarai (1514).

In architecture, the Malwa style is essentially accuratj Some of its featun:s are the skilful and elegant use of arc1 with pillar and beam, lofty terraces approached by Well proportioned stairways, impressive and dignified size of buildings and their fine masonry, frequent use of dom cupolas round a central dome and restrained ornamentation with pleasing colQur decoration. The minaret is absent' this style. Some famous monuments of this style are Ashr Mahal, Hindola Mahal, Jahaz Mahal, Baz Bahadur's Palac the Nilkanth Palace and Kaliadeh Mahal.

The Sharqi Sultans of Jaunpur created a fine style' architecture which was marked by lofty gates and hug arches. It was deeply influenced by the buildings of th
Tughlaq period. I The Kashmir style of Indo-Islamic architecture is dif~ ferent from other provincial styles in the use of timber a~ the main building material and in its Buddhist influence! The Deccan developed a distinct architectural style nt the 14th to 17th century. The first phase of the Deccan style] shows Tughlaq influence. Later it was influenced by the] building art of Persia. Mahmud Gawan's madrasa in Persian, style at Bidar is noteworthy. But of the five successors tOI the Bahmanis in the Deccan, the most noteworthy architectural terms were the Adil Shahi and Qutb Shahi.

Features special to the Adil Shahi architectural style are the three-arched facade, the bulbous dome almost spherical in shape, the graceful, tall and slender minaret, frequent use I of a masonry pier of considerable size instead of a pillar, substantial bold, projecting chhajjas or cornices, and ceilings that seem to be built without any apparent support as the slabs of stones are bound together by iron clamps and strong mortar. Also typical is the richly artistic stucco or stone carving. Outstanding monuments of the Bijapur style are the mausoleum of Ibrahim Adil Shah and that of Muhammad Adil Shah or the Gol Gumbaz which is said to possess the largest single dome. Bijapur court paintings rose to great heights under Ibrahim Adil Shah. Ibrahim Adil Shah II was deeply interested in music. He invoked Saraswati in his songs. He compiled the Kitab-i-Nauras and built a new capital, Nauraspur.

The Golconda or Qutb Shahi style is noted for the design and luxuriant ornament in stucco of the facade of buildings including minars and parapets. The Hindu influ­ence in this style is evident in its motifs of decoration; the architectural forms and artistic devices are, however, Per­sian. Notable Qutb Shahi monuments include the tomb of Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah and the stately gateway built by him, the Char Minar, in about 1591-92 in Hyderabad. In painting, the Golconda portraits show the royal taste in fruits and scented flowers.

The Vijayanagar rulers built numerous magnificent well-decorated palaces and temples. The Vitthalaswami I temple probably begun in 1513 and never completed is I considered the finest specimen of Vijayanagar architecture. It has the typical features such as the main temple's pillared halls, subsidiary shrines and elaborately decorated pillars. Other notable structures are the Hall of Dance at Lepakshi and the festival hall at Vellore.

While the grandeur of architecture dominates sculp­tural decoration in these Vijayanagar monuments, sculpture had an important part in the scheme of things. Sculptures of. this period are exemplified by large monolithic carvings. The reclining Nandi near the Lepakshi temple is believed to be the largest monolithic Nandi in the country. Even more impressive is a gigantic representation of seated 'Ugra Narsimha' at Vijayanagar.
The best preserved and famous paintings are those at the Virabhadra temple and the Lepakshi paintings, which are characterised by earth tones and the absence of primary colours in general. Realism does not seem to be the main concern in this painting style.

The Nayakas who rose on the fall of the Vijayanagar empire continued the artistic traditions of the Vijayanagar rulers. The most famous architectural landmark of the age is the Meenakshi-Sundareswara temple at Madurai, built largely in the time of Thirumala Nayak in mid-17th century. A major contribution of the Nayaka artists was the building of 'prakaramas', roofed ambulatory passageways, at many temples. Typically, a Nayaka 'prakarama' has massive col­umns with elaborate corbelled brackets and extensively carved (and sometimes painted) surfaces. One of the most famous of these passageways from the Nayaka period is at Rameswaram.


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KHANDESH

KHANDESH

The small kingdom of Khandesh in the valley of the Tapti became independent under Malik Raja in 1388. Its capital was Burhanpur. Its rulers are known as the Farukki dynasty. The ninth prince of this line Miran Muhammad Shah became, by succession, king of Gujarat in 1536. He died the next year and the two kingdoms again became separate entities. The kingdom was annexed by Akbar in 16Ol.

KAMARUPA AND ASSAM

KAMARUPA AND ASSAM

The history of the kingdom of Kamarupa till the thirteenth century is obscure. The Ahoms entered the Brahmaputra valley from north Burma and founded a kingdom in its eastern region in the first part of the thirteenth century. Sukapha was the founder of the dynasty. He extended the territory in the west at the cost of Kamarupa. The influence of Brahmanical Hinduism began to gain ground in Ahom in the early fifteenth century AD. Suhungmung (1497-1539) reigned as Svarga Narayan. The Ahom kingdom became the target of Mughal invasions in the seventeenth century.

ORISSA

ORISSA

The kingdom of Orissa was brought into prominence by Anantavarman Choda Ganga (1076-1148). He was a great conqueror and patron of art and literature. He built the famous Jagannath temple at Puri. He was succeeded by some able rulers who repulsed successive Turkish invasions until Firuz Shah Tughlaq invaded the state and desecrated the Jagannath temple at Puri. After a short time the Ganga dynasty was supplanted (1434) by a new dynasty (Suryavamsha) founded by Kapilendra (1434­1470). Kapilendra's dynasty was supplanted by the Bhoi dynasty (1542) which was founded by Govind. This dynasty ruled up to 1559 when it was overthrown by Mukunda Harichandra. After the death of Harichandra, Orissa was annexed to Bengal by Sulaiman (1568).

SMALLER KINGDOMS

SMALLER KINGDOMS

Among the smaller kingdoms that came up on the Sultanate's decline, Jaunpur and Bengal in the east and Malwa and Gujarat in the west are important. Besides, Kashmir was an independent kingdom in the north.

JAUNPUR Malik Sarw~r, with the title Malik-ush-Sharq, who was governor of Jaunpur from 1394, threw off the allegiance to the Delhi Sultanate in the confusion following Timur's invasion, and asserted independence.

Malwa

Gujrat

Rajasthan

Mewar

Marwar

Amber

Kashmir

Bengal

LAND TENURES IN THE VIJAYANAGAR ADMINIS­TRATION

LAND TENURES IN THE VIJAYANAGAR ADMINIS­TRATION There were three broad categories of land tenures during the Vijayanagar rule: amara, bhandaravada and manya.

Amara villages granted to the amaranayaks by the Vijayanagar rulers were the largest category of land tenure. The amaranayak lacked proprietary rights in land and enjoyed privileges over its income only. 75 per cent of all the villages came under this category.

The bhandaravada was a crown village. It was the smallest category of land tenure. A part of its income was used to maintain the forts of the empire.
The manya villages were tax-free villages whose income was used to maintain brahmans, temples and mathas. The period witnessed a great increase in devadana grants, con­ferred on temples, made by the state as compared to other grants.

ADMINISTRATION, SOCIETY AND ECONOMY

ADMINISTRATION, SOCIETY AND ECONOMY The Vijayanagar empire had an autocratic system of adminis­tration. There was an elaborate arrangement of administra­tion at central, provincial and village levels. The chief source of administration was the king who adopted the title of 'Raya'. It is emphasised that the principle of strict adherence to dharma was the distinguishing feature of the Vijayanagar empire. However, it is disputed by many historians.

Many administrative organs of the central administra­tion were constituted. There is a mention of raj parishad and its chief officer mahapradhtini. There was also a council of ministers (mantriparishad) consisting of great scholars of the state. Sabhanayak was the head of the mantriparishad. Other important officials included koshadhyaksha, mudrakarta, vyaparnirikshaka, senapati and nyayadhisha.

The entire kingdom was divided into pranta, mandaI, kottam or valnadu, nadu, melagram and gram. There were six prants (provinces). Each province had a governor appointed by the centre. The provincial governors were called mahamandaleshwar, nadaprabhusa, nayak or mandaleshwar. Their responsibilities included maintaining law and order, ap­pointing subordinate officials, making military arrangement and imposing new taxes.

In rural administration, the rulers of Vijayanagar ac­cepted the local-self government policy of the Chola rulers. However, the village autonomy witnessed a decline during this period due to imposition of a 12-member Ayangar system (involving appointment of 12 officials by the centre) to keep a vigil on the rural administration. Mahanayakacharya appointed by the centre also looked after the local self­government.

The assessment on the peasantry amounted to a little more than the traditional one-sixth of the produce payable in equivalent money and not in kind. Trade, too, was a source of revenue. Punishments for crime were cruel and severe, prostitution was regulated and heavily taxed. On the whole, the country was prosperous and ably adminis­tered.

People used animal food freely although the vegetarian brahmans were held in great honour. The practice of sati was largely prevalent. Women were fairly educated and their services were utilised as clerks in the royal household. The Vijayanagar rulers also had women bodyguards and wrestlers.

The empire of Vijayanagar was one of the richest states of the time. The country was self-sufficient in food and industries flourished, such as textiles, mining and metal­lurgy, and perfumery. Industries and trade were regulated
by guilds. The empire possessed numerous ports and had commercial relations with foreign countries. Gold, silver and copper coins were in use.

DECLINE

DECLINE

After the death of Krishnadeva Raya, power passed into the hands of Rama Raja, son-in-law of Krishnadeva and an able man but ambitious and tactless. He took an active part in the politics of the Muslim states CY Bijapur and Ahmadnagar and supported the one against the other, changing sides as it suited his interests. This so irfcensed the Muslim rulers that they all, except for Berar, formed a confederacy a~inst Vijayanagar. They defeated the Vijayanagar forces at Bannihatti near Talikota in 1565. The Vijayanaga! empire thus came to an end.

Some places like Madurai, Thanjavur and Jingi came to be ruled by local chiefs or nayakas, while a new dynasty was set up at Penugonda. This was known as the Aravidu dynasty, founded by Rama Raja's brother, Thirumala. Venkata II (1585-1614) was the most important ruler of this dynasty.
He removed the capital to Chandragiri and maintained the empire intact. It was during his reign that the English and the Dutch began to establish themselves on the east coast of India.

THE TULUVA DYNASTY

THE TULUVA DYNASTY

Nasra Nayak died in 1505, and was succeeded by his son Vira Narasimha as the regent. He very soon deposed the Suluva ruler and laid the foundation of the Tuluva dynasty; this event is known as the 'Second Usurpation'.
Krishnadeva Raya (1509-1529) was the greatest ruler of the Tuluva d.ynasty and the Vijayanagar empire. His most notable military achievement was the recovery of the Raichur Doab from Bijapur. Under him the kingdom of Vijayanagar reached the height of its prestige and prosper­ity. Krishnadeva Raya was noted for his religious zeal, tolerance, hospitality to foreigners, love of literature and purity of life. He maintained friendly relations with the Portuguese governor Albuquerque, and gave him permis­sion to build a fort at Bhatkal.

THE SULUVA DYNASTY

THE SULUVA DYNASTY

After 1465 there was a period of disorder as the rulers were weak. The Bahmanis, the king of Orissa, and the Pandyas renewed their aggression. The situation was saved by Narasimha Suluva, governor of Chandragiri, who seized the throne in about 1486. This event is known as the 'First Usurpation'. Narsimha succeeded in restoring the lost prestige of the empire. However, the dynasty was shortlived, and power passed into the hands of Nasra Nayak.

THE SANGAMA DYNASTY

THE SANGAMA DYNASTY

Most of Bukka's life was spent in waging warfare against the Bahmanis. He died in 1379, and was succeeded by his son Harihara II (1379­1404). Harihara's reign saw the conquest of the whole of south India including Mysore, Kanara, Tiruchirapalli and Kanchi. After his death the kingdom was involved in a civil war after which one of his sons, Deva Raya I, became the king in 1406. NicoloConti, the Italian traveller, visited Vijayanagar in 1420. Deva Raya II came to the throne in 1422. He was perhaps the ~eatest ruler of this line. In his reign the empire extended to the most
distant south and even touched the shores of Ceylon. It was during his reign that the Persian traveller, Abdur Razzaq, visited Vijayanagar and was struck by its grandeur and prosperity.

DECCAN SULTANATE

DECCAN SULTANATE

Five independent kingdoms rose on the ruins of the Bahmani kingdom, namely Berar, Bidar, Ahmadnagar, Golconda and Bijapur.

BERAR It was the first province to break loose from the Bahmani kingdom when in 1484. Fathulla, the governor of Gowilgarh, revolted against Mahmud Bahmani. The dynasty he founded was called the Imad Shahi dynasty because he bore the title of Imad-ul-Mulk. His capital was at Elichpur. The dynasty lasted for about ninety years until 1574 when it was annexed by Ahmadnagar.

BIDAR Kasim Barid, a Turkish officer of Mahmud Shah Bahmani, made himself virtually independent about the year 1492 though he did nut assume the royal rank. His
son Amir Barid openly assumed an independent position in 1525. The third Sultan Ali Barid assumed the title of Shah. In about 1609 Bidar was absorbed by Bijapur.

AHMADNAGAR Founded by Malik Ahmad, son of Nizam-ul-Mulk, in the year 1490, the dynasty is known as the Nizam Shahi dynasty (as he assumed the title, Ahmad Nizam Shah). He also founded the city of Ahmadnagar and made it his capital. In 1565 the kingdom joined the con­federacy against Vijayanagar. After conqueririg Berar in 1574, Ahmadnagar was involved in a long drawn out warfare with the Mughals. In 1576, Akbar decided to invade Ahmadnagar but the fort was defended by Chand Bibi who purchased peace by surrendering Berar. Sh~ was later murdered by her own officers and the Mughals annexed Ahmadnagar (1600). The kingdom did not cease to exist but was governed by an Abyssinian minister named Malik Amber. He successfully defied the Mughals and freed Ahmadnagar (1610) Ahmadnagar was finally annexed by Shah Jahan in 1637.

GOLCONDA Founded by Quli Qutb Shah in 1512, the
dynasty is known as the Qutb Shahi dynasty. The kingdom of Golconda led a more or less isolated existence, taking only a minor part in the tangled politics of the Deccan. The first sultan of this dynasty, Qutb Shah transferred his capital from Warangal to Golconda. He was murdered in 1543. Ibrahim Adil Shah, who ascended the throne, was a tolerant monarch. He treated the Hindus well. His successor was Sultan Muhammad Quli. After his death in 1611. Golconda was involved in warfare with the Mughal empire. In 1687 the kingdom was annexed to the Mughal empire by Aurangzeb. .

BIJAPUR Out of the five kingdoms of the Deccan Sultanate, Bijapur was the most important. It was founded by Yusuf Adil Shah, who waged wars against Vijayanagar and his neighbours but his great achievement was the recovery of Goa from the Portuguese commander, Albu­querque, though the Portuguese retook it in 1510. He was succeeded by his minor son, Ismail Shah, who recovered Raichur Doab from Vijayanagar. During the reign of Ibrahim Adil Shah, the kingdoms of Golconda, Bidar and Ahmadnagar attacked Bijapur but it was well defended by its able minister Asad Khan. Ibrahim died in 1557 and was succeeded by his son, AU Adil Shah. Ibrahim Adil Shah n (1579-1626) was perhaps the greatest of the Adil Shahi kings. He was a good administrator and introduced a very efficient system of revenue settlement. He was tolerant of all creeds and faiths. He kept friendly relations with the Portuguese and allowed them to preach Christianity in his dominions.

VIJAYANAGAR
The origin of the kingdom of Vijayanagar is still a matter of controversy. According to tradition, the kingdom was founded by the five sons of Sangama of whom the two most prominent were Harihara and Bukka who reverted to Hinduism after having been converted to Islam. They were encouraged in their enterprise by two scholars, Madhava
Vidyaratmi. and his brother Sayana. Accord­ing to Father Heras, this kingdom was founded by the Hoysala king, Vira Bailala Ill. However, it seems certain that the king­dom owed its origin to a reaction to the devastating Muslim raids which threatened to overwhelm the Hindu civilisation in south­ern India. The capital of the kingdom was Hastinavati (Hampi).

THE BAHMANI KINGDOM (1347-1526)

THE BAHMANI KINGDOM (1347-1526)

The Bahmani kingdom was founded in 1347 by Hasan Gangu who revolted and proclaimed his independence from the Sultanate. He assumed the title of Ala-ud-din Bahmani (also Bahman Shah). Gulbarga was his capital. He divided his kingdom into four tarafs or provinces and placed each one under a tarafdar or governor. He was succeeded by Muhammad Shah I (1358-1373) whose reign was chiefly occupied in waging savage wars against Vijayanagar and Warangal. Some of the other notable rulers of the dynasty were: Firuz Shah (1397-1422) who twice defeated Vijayanagar but was ultimately defeated atPangul; Ahmad Shah (1422-1433) who conquered Warangal and shifted the capital to Bidar, and who was also known as Wali on account of his association with a sufi, Gesu Daraz; Humayun (1451-1461) famous for his minister, Khwaja Mahmud Gawan; Muhammad Shah ill (1463-1482) whose reign saw Mahmud Gawan expand the kingdom as never before.

In his campaign against Vijayanagar in 1481 he even reached and plundered Kanchi. He overran Dahlol and Goa on the western coast. However, Gawan was a Persian by birth and hence disliked by the 'Deccani' chiefs who were native. The Deccani party conspired against him and got him executed in 1481.
Gradually, the Bahmani kingdom declined in power till, in 152~, Amir Barid usurped the throne. Thus the dynasty came to an end.

Provincial Kingdoms after the Sultanate

The control of the Sultanate over a major part of India could not continue for long. The Deccan broke away in the reign of Muhammad-bin- Tughlaq itself. As the power of the Sultans declined further, several small kingdoms arose. In the Deccan arose two prominent kingdoms-the Bahmani and the Vijayanagar. These two kingdoms were continually fighting each other, the main causes of conflict being (I) rival claims on the Raichur Doab, a fertile bit of land between the Krishna and the Tungabhadra; (it) the desire on the part of the Vijayanagar kings to get hold of Golconda with its diamond mines; and (iii) rivalry in Marathwada. Besides, both kingdoms had ambitious rulers wanting control over the peninsula. It was only after long warfare which ex­hausted their resources that they decided to conclude a treaty.